Flying target



(No Model.)

A. H. BOGARBUS.

FLYING TARGET.

No. 288,000. Patented Nov. 6, 1883.

UNITED STATES PATENT Fries,

ADAM H. BOGARDUS, OF ELKHART, ILLINOIS.

FLYING TARGET,

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 288,000, dated November 6, 1883.

Application filed July 13, 1883. (No model.) i

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ADAM H. BOGARDUS, of Elkhart, county of Logan, State of Illinois, have invented an Improvement in Targets, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like letters onthe drawing representing like parts.

My invention, relating to targets, has for its object to produce a flying or movable target capable of being illuminated for use in night shooting.

The invention consists, essentially, in a target adapted to be thrown into the air, and composed of fragile and combustible or inflammable material, the body or main portion being shown in this instance as composed of fragile material, it being substantially the same, for instance, as the well-known glass balls or clay pigeons that are thrown from traps, the said body being provided with combustible or inflammable material which will burn with a strong flame, so that when lighted the target may be thrown into the air in the usual manner, thus forming a suitable object to be shot at in the night-time, or when it is too dark to see the ordinary targets. The inflammable or combustible material may consist of petroleum or any of the hydrocarbon fluids, or of any material used for pyro-- technic displays; and in order to enable a sufficient amount of combustible material to be applied and to burn properly, the body of the target may be provided with suitable wicking or other absorbent material, which may be applied to its surface by cement or glue, care being taken, when the material is of a textile or fibrous nature, that itshall not be continuous over a large portion of the surface of the target, since if it were applied continuously it would interfere with the breaking or disintegration of the target when struck by the shot, it being one of the important features of the invention that substantially the whole target possesses bot-h properties of brittleness or frangibility and inflammability, so that if the target is struck the flame or light producing material will be broken and scattered to indicate the fact.

The drawing shows in perspective View a. target embodying this invention. The main portion or body a may be of any usual or suitable construction or material, it being shown as one of the well-known forms of target such as-used for trap-shooting, and commonly called a clay pigeonf but the body might be a glass ball or any other kind of flying target adapted to be thrown in the air and shot at while moving. The said body is shown in this instance as provided with pieces b, of porous and absorbent materialssuch, for instance, as ordinary wiclring or other loosely woven or braided fabric or material-the said material being discontinuous on the surface of the body a of the target, so as not to deprive it of its fragile character or prevent it from readily breaking when struck by a shot.

In using the target, the wicking I) being saturated with petroleum or other inflammable material, it is placed in any of the usual traps or apparatus for throwing targets, and at the proper time is ignited and thrown blazing in the air, thus forming a target that can readily be seen and shot at in the dark.

It will be seen that although the wicking is discontinuous, substantially the whole body of the target is covered with the inflammable material, so that when broken the fragments will continue to blaze, and the scattering of the blazing fragments will show that the shot has been successful. 7

If desired, the body might be of combustible material, instead of having the latter applied to its surface-a construction adapted merely as being the easier method of adapting existing targets for night shooting.

I claim 1. A flying target composed of material that is both fragile and inflammable, whereby the said target, as a whole, or its frag1nents,when broken, may blaze and be illuminated, substantially as described.

2. In a flying target, the body composed of fragile material, combined with discontinuous absorbent material thereon, adapted to be saturated with inflammable material, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ADAM H. BOGARDUS.

Witnesses:

J 0s. P. LIvEnMoRn, W. H. SIesToN. 

